//------------------------------//
// Material Girl (Bon Bon's POV) 
// Story: Changes 
// by Talon and Thorn 
//------------------------------//

Material Girl
 
There was an annoying tapping sound in the waiting area. It was faster than the ticking of a clock it seemed to change in pace occasionally, what was it? Bon Bon looked down, oh, it was her hoof nervously striking the tiled floor, with some effort she forced herself to stop. She had been waiting for, she checked the clock, about an hour now and it felt like an eternity. The inside of the bank was one of the poshest locations in Ponyville, done up in something approaching Canterlot style. It was supposed to make its customers feel that their money was being kept safe, it made Bon Bon feel like a foal. She was worried that she might trip and accidentally break something.
 
She’d arrived with a little time to spare and had told Tin and Davenport that she didn’t need anypony to wait with her. The loan officer had apparently had some sort of hold up and was delayed so she’d had to wait, and wait, and wait. The tapping was back again, she rested one hoof on the other to stop the twitch. She considered reading through her proposal again, but the last time she’d tried that the words had just seemed like so much scribble on the paper.
 
The teller, a middle aged unicorn mare, her sky blue mane just starting to turn grey, glanced over at her and gave a smile, she looked like she was about to say something when the door opened and two stallions entered. One she instantly recognised as Filthy Rich, the owner of Barnyard Bargains, the other was a unicorn with a dark blue coat and a thinning black mane. Filthy gave the other stallion a friendly slap on the back. “Nice doing business with you Penny,” he cried, “Shame about your score though.”
 
The other stallion flinched a bit. “It wasn’t my greatest game, Mr Rich,” he agreed.
 
“Well, see you again next week, you might even break par next time,” said Filthy turning to the door.
 
“Goodbye,” called the other stallion but Filthy was already gone. Penny quickly did his best to smooth down his coat before turning to the teller and holding a whispered conversation, their eyes flicking over to Bon Bon who could feel a lather forming on her sides. With a nod the stallion walked over towards a side office and let himself in.
 
The teller waiting a few painful moments before nodding to Bon Bon. “You should go in now,” she said, “Good Luck!”
 
Nodding her thanks Bon Bon got up from her seat, as she did so one of her legs caught on her skirt and she tripped forwards. Her papers flew from her bags and she lashed out to try and catch them before they scattered. Skidding across the floor she came to a stop in front of a large vase of flowers which wobbled for a few perilous seconds before coming to a halt. She’d managed to grab most of her papers in her mouth but a few had escaped, she quickly retrieved them and stuffed them into the bundle before taking a deep breath and tottering towards the office door. She briefly considered if she had time for a bathroom break before steeling herself and knocking on the door.
 
“Come in!” came a cry from within.
 
Bon Bon pushed the door open to reveal a cramped office containing a large desk behind which lounged the stallion from earlier. “Good morning Miss,” his eyes flickered to some papers on the desk, “Bon Bon. I am Mr Pincher, I believe you are interested in taking out a small business loan with the bank?” he raised an eyebrow and gestured to the chair at the other side of the desk without standing himself.
 
“Yes Mr Pincher,” said Bon Bon stepping forwards and carefully lowering herself into the chair, it bent her spine in a way only Lyra would find comfortable. She briefly wondered how the other mare was doing, had her train arrived in Canterlot yet? Before trying to settle her mind on the events at hoof. She carefully placed her papers on the desk sliding forwards the application form she’s spent the last week carefully filling out.
 
Pincher glanced down at the document distastefully before reaching out a hoof and pulling it towards himself and flipping through its pages. “You’re looking to buy the old bakery on Smith Street?”
 
“Yes, sir. It’s been empty for several years but it’s close enough to the town centre that it should get a lot of passing trade. It’s not plumbed into the town gas supply but I’ve checked and it’s close enough to the main for it to be easy enough to do. The building’s in good shape it will need some refurbishment to be fit for purpose, but that won’t cost that much.” She pushed forwards a sheet of paper Tin had completed after taking a look at her earlier quote, it showed a significantly lower sum.
 
He didn’t look down at the new paper. “You have the money for a deposit?”
 
“I have...,” she nodded, “Investors willing to provide me with that.” It sounded better than saying her parents were willing to give her... to lend her the money.
 
“And just what is it you plan to be selling?”  
 
“Um, sweets sir,” hadn’t he seem that in the application form?
 
“Sweets?”
 
She reached into her bag and brought out the box her father had packed earlier, opening it she showed it to Pincher. “It’s my special talent.” Her cutie mark was covered by her skirt at the moment.
 
“Ah, well many ponies think they can make a living out of their talent alone, but many aren't successful.” Her eyes flickered down the golf club on his flank as he took one of the chocolates from the box and popped it in his mouth, he chewed for a moment and his eyes bulged slightly. “This is very nice though,” he said.
 
“Thank you.”
 
“But doesn’t Sugar Cube Corner already provide similar? You would be in competition, and Ponyville is a rather small market, isn’t it?”
 
Bon Bon swallowed, she’d been worried this might come up. “They produce cakes and some confectionaries but I will be providing a wider range of treats, such as chocolates, boiled sweets and the like.”
 
Pincher took another chocolate and swallowed it. “These are, as you say, treats. Do you think the local ponies have enough disposable income for such luxuries?”
 
“Ponyville is a growing community, not just a tiny Everfree outpost any more, the standard of living is rapidly increasing,” she hoped this all made sense, she was parroting most of it from some books her parents had gotten her on business management, “Even the surrounding farms are making good profits, and a day working the soil many farm workers feel like splashing out on something special, something to make them feel good, something like my sweets!” She gave herself an imaginary pat on the back, that had sounded very persuasive to her.
 
Mr Pincher didn’t look impressed, he took up the application again and flicked through it again. A few silent minutes passed by.
 
“Look, Miss um. Bon, I’m sure that you think that your sweets will be very popular,” he popped another in his mouth, “But I am afraid I don’t think the market in Ponyville is enough to support your store, maybe you could start smaller? A cart in the market maybe? You could apply again in a few years when you’re a little older and more experienced.”
 
“You lent money to Rarity to open her boutique,” stuttered Bon Bon starting to feel cold shock run through her, followed by something much warmer, “She’s my age, and aren't clothes even more of a luxury than my sweets?”
 
“I am afraid I cannot comment on other clients, although Ms Rarity’s business plan was... more attractive than yours,” Bon Bon shivered as the stallion ran his eyes ran over her body for a moment.
 
“But surely...” began Bon Bon.
 
“I am afraid I have other interviews today, and I am already behind schedule.”
 
“But look...” she tried again.
 
“I will send you my final decision in writing in the next working week, but I doubt it will be positive.”
 
“Did you even...”
 
“Goodbye Ms Bon Bon,” he said pointedly, “But thank you for the sweets.” He tossed away the now empty box of chocolates.
 
The chocolates she’d made for Lyra, the ones for her to remember her by, the ones he’d just casually eaten and thrown away! “Look if you’ll only read my...” she tried to keep her temper under control.
 
“Goodbye Ms Bon Bon,” repeated Pincher rising from behind the desk.
 
“Sit down!” cried Bon Bon her vision turning red.
 
“What?” shock showed all over the stallions face.
 
“I said Sit Down,” she snarled, “Now!” Pinchers legs dropped away beneath him. “Good, now if you will look at the reports I brought you will see that my sweets have in fact been on sale in Ponyville for the last three years at my father’s shop.” She forcefully shoved the papers in front of his snout.
 
“Ms Bon Bon, selling something from your family store is hardly the same as your own business, there are extra costs...”
 
“There,” she angrily poked a section of the report with a hoof tearing it a bit, “My father has been keeping separate accounts for his and my produce for the last two years, consumables, fuel, everything. As you can see my work has made a profit almost every month apart from a post-holiday slump, for hearts and hooves, and a few other holidays the profit was significant. It’s not uncommon for us to sell out.” Dad had offered to pay her a wage for her work, she’d refused of course, but she hadn’t minded an increase to her allowance.
 
“I... I see,” said Pincher taking up the papers and actually looking at them for the first time.
 
“Now the extra space and equipment in the new store will allow me to produce not just more sweets but also a greater variety than I can at the moment. Yes, there is some risk in lending me the money, but there is a good chance of profit! Only an idiot would give up this opportunity without even looking at it!” She panted as the anger starting to drain out of her. She swallowed painfully, what had she done!
 
Penny Pincher seemed a little shell shocked as he looked over the younger mare. “You... you might have a point,” he finally managed. “This may need a little more investigation,” he gathered up the papers on the table, all of them, and began to read.
 
The minutes slowly ticked by and Bon Bon veered between wanting to flee from the room and wanting to punch Pincher in the face. She really wished she’d decided to visit the bathroom before entering the office.
 
Pincher finally put the papers down. “Miss Bon Bon,” he said, “I think I might have been a little hasty in my earlier opinion. We might be able to come to some agreement on this matter.”